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The Time I Met Dr. Pol at the Las Vegas Superzoo Trade Show

July 29, 2017

One of the perks of my job is meeting all kinds of interesting people - and sometimes some famous people too! That was the case this week when I headed to Las Vegas to attend SuperZoo 2017, which is the country's largest trade show for pet retailers. I was attending the show at the invitation of Byron Parker - you may not recognize his name, but he invented Happy Hen Treats back in the day (yup, seriously!) - and the folks at Red River Commodities. They have a great new line of chicken scratch grains and mixed grain/seed/nut/insect treats coming out and I was honored to be asked to help man their booth and be their on-site 'chicken expert' for the various industry buyers who would be stopping by.

I have to say that I had an amazing time at the show. Much as I was so happy to get back home late last night, and I'm exhausted from standing and chit-chatting for eight hours a day three days in a row and then socializing each evening, it was an awesome experience. Although the show was very much focused on dogs, and to a less extent cats, chickens were pretty well-represented by such companies as Happy Hen Treats, Red River Commodities, Chicken Guard, Manna Pro, Tractor Supply Company, and Thomas Labs. And it was really neat to hear so much excitement about backyard chickens from the non-chicken crowd that was there for the 'traditional' pet products.

I enjoyed reconnecting with friends I have worked with for years, as well as meeting some of them in person for the first time! And the highlight of Tuesday was meeting (The Incredible!) Dr. Pol and his wife! What an incredibly (see what I did there?) nice, down-to-earth couple! Dr. Pol and I chatted a bit about chickens and the difficulty of finding a vet qualified to treat a backyard flock (and no, your friendly Facebook page admin, myself included, is SO not the person to look to for medical advice), and then we chatted a bit about ducks. He seems to be just as fond of his as I am of mine.

So anyway, the week flew by. It was a whirlwind of chatting with buyers, retail store owners, and other industry movers and shakers, followed by some really amazing dinners at such restaurants as Gallagher's, Veranda, Nine Fine Irishmen and Ocean 1 Bar & Grille. While others opted for the surf & turf, since I eat way too much lobster already here in Maine, I passed, but made sure to save room for dessert! I think I had creme brulee every night!

One reader commented that I looked like a duck out of water last week! I do admit that amid the hustle and bustle of the Strip, it was hard to remember that I used to work on Wall Street and was very much used to all the bright lights, noise, people, and commotion - but it was a huge change for me. And it was nice to get back to our farm! (Although I did enjoy the chance to dress up a bit and get out of my normal plaid shirts, Muck Boots and jeans!)

Of course, I arrived home with my carry-on jam-packed with dog and chicken treat samples which made the girls and Bella and Winston very happy! So while it was against trade show regulations to snap photos of any of the booths or products since many aren't even on the market yet, I hope you enjoy this peek at my week in Las Vegas!